5.
The Discourse on the City
65.
He was dwelling at Sāvatthī, etc.
"Before the enlightenment, monks, while still unenlightened, being just a Bodhisatta, this occurred to me -
'Alas, this world has fallen into difficulty - it is born and ages and dies and passes away and is reborn.
And yet it does not understand the escape from this suffering of ageing and death.
When indeed will the escape from this suffering of ageing and death become known?'
This occurred to me, monks -
'When what exists does ageing and death exist? What is the condition for ageing and death?'
Then, monks, through wise attention, there was a full realisation by wisdom for me:
'When birth exists, ageing and death exists; birth is the condition for ageing and death.'
"This occurred to me, monks - 'When what exists does birth exist? etc. existence exists... clinging exists... craving exists... feeling exists... contact exists... the six sense bases exist... mentality-materiality exists... What is the condition for mentality-materiality?' Then, monks, through wise attention, there was a full realisation by wisdom for me: 'When consciousness exists, mentality-materiality exists; consciousness is the condition for mentality-materiality.' This occurred to me, monks - 'When what exists does consciousness exist? What is the condition for consciousness?' Then, monks, through wise attention, there was a full realisation by wisdom for me: 'When mentality-materiality exists, consciousness exists; mentality-materiality is the condition for consciousness.'
"This occurred to me, monks - This consciousness turns back from mentality-materiality, it does not go further. To this extent one may be born or age or die or pass away or be reborn, that is to say: with mentality-materiality as condition, consciousness; with consciousness as condition, mentality-materiality; with mentality-materiality as condition, the six sense bases; with the six sense bases as condition, contact, etc. Thus is the origin of this whole mass of suffering. 'Origin, origin' - thus, monks, regarding things not heard before, vision arose for me, knowledge arose, wisdom arose, true knowledge arose, light arose.
"This occurred to me, monks - 'When what is absent does ageing and death not exist? From the cessation of what comes the cessation of ageing and death?' Then, monks, through wise attention, there was a full realisation by wisdom for me: 'When birth is absent, ageing and death does not exist; from the cessation of birth comes the cessation of ageing and death.' This occurred to me, monks - 'When what is absent does birth not exist? etc. existence does not exist, clinging does not exist, craving does not exist, feeling does not exist, contact does not exist, the six sense bases do not exist, mentality-materiality does not exist. From the cessation of what comes the cessation of mentality-materiality?' Then, monks, through wise attention, there was a full realisation by wisdom for me: 'When consciousness is absent, mentality-materiality does not exist; from the cessation of consciousness comes the cessation of mentality-materiality.'
"This occurred to me, monks - 'When what is absent does consciousness not exist? From the cessation of what comes the cessation of consciousness?' Then, monks, through wise attention, there was a full realisation by wisdom for me: 'When mentality-materiality is absent, consciousness does not exist; from the cessation of mentality-materiality comes the cessation of consciousness.'
"This occurred to me, monks - 'This path to enlightenment has been attained by me, that is to say: from the cessation of mentality-materiality comes the cessation of consciousness; from the cessation of consciousness comes the cessation of mentality-materiality; from the cessation of mentality-materiality comes the cessation of the six sense bases; from the cessation of the six sense bases comes the cessation of contact; etc. Thus is the cessation of this whole mass of suffering. 'Cessation, cessation' - thus for me, monks, regarding things not heard before, vision arose, knowledge arose, wisdom arose, true knowledge arose, light arose.
"Just as, monks, a man roaming in the forest wilds might see an ancient path, an ancient road, followed by people of former times. He might follow that. Following that, he might see an ancient city, an ancient royal city, inhabited by people of former times, endowed with parks, endowed with groves, endowed with ponds, having ramparts, delightful. Then, monks, that man might report to the king or the king's chief minister - 'May you know, venerable sir - I saw, while roaming in the forest wilds, an ancient path, an ancient road, followed by people of former times; I followed that. Following that, I saw an ancient city, an ancient royal city, inhabited by people of former times, endowed with parks, endowed with groves, endowed with ponds, having ramparts, delightful. Venerable sir, have that city built.' Then, monks, that king or the king's chief minister might have that city built. That city at a later time would be successful and prosperous, belonging to the public, crowded with people, having attained growth and expansion. So too, monks, I saw an ancient path, an ancient road, followed by the Perfectly Enlightened Ones of former times.
"And what, monks, is that ancient path, that ancient road, followed by the Perfectly Enlightened Ones of former times? It is just this noble eightfold path, as follows - right view, etc. right concentration. This, monks, is that ancient path, that ancient road, followed by the Perfectly Enlightened Ones of former times; I followed that; following that, I directly knew ageing and death; I directly knew the origin of ageing and death; I directly knew the cessation of ageing and death; I directly knew the practice leading to the cessation of ageing and death. I followed that; following that, I directly knew birth, etc. I directly knew existence... I directly knew clinging... I directly knew craving... I directly knew feeling... I directly knew contact... I directly knew the six sense bases... I directly knew mentality-materiality... I directly knew consciousness. I followed that; following that, I directly knew activities; I directly knew the origin of activities; I directly knew the cessation of activities; I directly knew the practice leading to the cessation of activities. Having directly known that, I declared it to monks, nuns, male lay followers, and female lay followers. This holy life, monks, is successful and prosperous, widespread, known to many, become widespread, well proclaimed among gods and humans." The fifth.